OCZ VX Revisited: DDR Updates on DFI nForce4
by Wesley Fink on March 30, 2005 12:05 AM EST- Posted in
- Memory
Test Results: Crucial Ballistix PC3200
Crucial gets a new lease on life on the DFI nForce4 motherboards with memory performance that blows past our previous results with Ballistix on A64.| Crucial PC3200 Ballistix (DDR400) - 2 x 512Mb Double-Bank | |||||||
| CPU Ratio at 2.4GHz | Memory Speed | Memory Timings & Voltage |
Quake3 fps |
Sandra UNBuffered | Sandra Standard Buffered | Super PI 2M places (time in sec) |
Wolfenstein - Radar - Enemy Territory fps |
| 12x200 | 400DDR | 2-2-2-6 3.0V 1T |
547.8 | INT 2922 FLT 3067 |
INT 6112 FLT 6060 |
80 | 115.2 |
| 11x218 | 436DDR | 2-2-2-6 3.1V 1T |
550.2 | INT 3037 FLT 3210 |
INT 6538 FLT 6462 |
80 | 115.6 |
| 10x240 | 480DDR | 2.5-2-2-6 3.2V 1T |
562.3 | INT 3131 FLT 3333 |
INT 6792 FLT 6712 |
79 | 117.0 |
| 9x267 | 533DDR | 2.5-3-3-6 2.8V 1T |
559.8 | INT 3220 FLT 3473 |
INT 7043 FLT 6959 |
79 | 116.9 |
| 10x280 (2.8 GHz) |
Highest CPU/Mem Performance | 2.5-3-3-6 2.9V 1T |
633.7 | INT 3532 FLT 3754 |
INT 7798 FLT 7738 |
71 | 133.8 |
We were able to reach stable memory speeds in the 295 to 300 CPU speed range (DDR590 to DDR600) at slower timings, but the best combination of Memory Speed/CPU Speed/Performance was achieved at 10x280. At 10x280 (2.8GHz) and the still excellent timings of 2.5-3-3-6, Crucial Ballistix turns in performance equivalent to VX at 10x267 2-2-2-6. There is no doubt that the Athlon 64 platform can be a very good match to Crucial Ballistix. When price is considered, Ballistix is still a very attractive choice on the latest nForce4 platforms. It is also interesting that as a memory chip, the Micron chips used in Ballistix are very close in performance to the Winbond chips used in VX at the same timings and speed.
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adg1034 - Tuesday, April 19, 2005 - link
Wesley- could you do a follow-up with the "Value VX"? I'd love to see how that does.Gogar - Friday, April 15, 2005 - link
I'm wondering how a 3000+ would perform in the used setup with the OCZ Plat rev2. Assuming it can reach the MHZ, would it really be the same as a 4000+?JoKeRr - Sunday, April 3, 2005 - link
#50, pretty sure A8N SLI gives Vdimm upto 3V.ISS - Saturday, April 2, 2005 - link
No doubt OCZ VX memory is cool. However, there is 1 major point to consider which I don't think anandtech did mention.Whats the long term effects of pushing running 3.5V on A64. I have read from forums that some users ended up with dead CPUs after pushing high memory voltages. I am not sure but I guess they have a dead memory controller. Can A64's on-die memory controller handle 3.5V Vdimm for prolong periods? Such as 3-6 months or even longer?
AMD did mention before that running high Vdimm may damage the CPU and void the warranty though. Also, you would have notice that literally all board manufacturers other than DFI limits the Vdimm to just 2.85V.
cryptonomicon - Thursday, March 31, 2005 - link
man, i wish they included a sweet pair of BH-5 in all of their mem tests (one of the 280+ mhz pairs 2225 ~3.3-3.4v) just so i would have a point of reference to all this NEW ram.NotoriousGIB - Thursday, March 31, 2005 - link
Ohh...last comment was for poster 26.NotoriousGIB - Thursday, March 31, 2005 - link
Thx for the comment, but I was already aware of that. Wesley, plz post your DRAM & Genie BIOS settings used in this comparison. If there are any other OCZ VX users that have busted 250MHz, please post your settings.Zebo - Thursday, March 31, 2005 - link
"zebo, i have no idea what you tried to just say "Don't worry about it just get the cheapest ram like Buffalo B-line /corsiar value and you'll be just fine. All this stuff is overated, overpriced and for competitive benchmarkers only.
ozzimark - Thursday, March 31, 2005 - link
#39-i've been through 4 sticks of ballistix. all of them can make it to 245mhz at 2.5-2-2-5, which is the limit of my memory controller. i think inconsistancy is a thing of the past now.
i would try to prove you wrong on your second point, but i'd need a new cpu for that :(
Teetu - Thursday, March 31, 2005 - link
is there anyway I get anand's complete settings for the ballistix ram?i know with the older bios DFI recommended bank interleave off, but has that changed with the 3/10 bios?